Air diffuser



Sept. 23, 1958 R. s. LOWENSOHN ,9

AIR DIFFUSER Filed June 2'7, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

RALPH s. LOWENSOHN Sept. 23, 1958 R. s. LOWENSOHN 5 AIR DIFFUSER Filed June 27, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.4 FIG.5

INVENTOR. RALPH S. LOWENSOHN ATTORNEYS 2,852,999 Patented Sept. 23, 1&58

United States Patent Ofifice AIR DIFFUSER Ralph S. Lowensohn, Wichita, Karts, assignor. to? The 0. A. Sutton Corporation, Inc.,.-. Wichita, Kans., a corporationof Kansas Application June 27, 1955, Serial No. 517,994

4 Claims. (Cl. 98-40) Thisinventio'n relates to an air diffuser, and'more parti'cularly'to a device for directing air into a room or other enclosure from an air inlet opening, in which one or more diffuser elements may be shifted laterally of l the openingin' order to direct the air in a desired direction and in which the volume of air discharged may also be adjusted.

In many cases it is desirable to direct airforventilation or for heating or'cooling into a room' in a desired direction, particularly when the air inletis.'loeatedin the ceiling of the room. When the air inlet is in the centralportion of the ceiling, it is usually desirableto direct'the air substantially equally in all directions outwardly from the air diffuser and downwardly at an angle to the ceiling which is less than a right angle thereto). When the air inlet iscl'ose to a wall it is'usuallyadvanta'geous' todire'ct most'of the air away from the wall, i'. e.,. to diffuse the air through an angle of substantially one hundred eighty degrees, and when the air inlet is inor near thecornero'f a room, it is" advantageous to direct the air awayfiom the corner; i; e., to diffuse the air through an angle of approximately ninety degrees; Also; the. air diffuser should be relatively inconspicuous and pleasing to the eye. Heretofore, airdiffusers'having exposedvanes which canbe angularly adjusted have been proposed, but such diffusersare" usually unsightly and in manyca'ses' do. not provide the requisite adaptabllity'for all' possible locations ofceiling air inlets. Also, it has been proposed to provide air diffusers of a plurality of types adapted" for employment in ceiling air inlets in various positions in the ceiling butthishasrequireda' variety of different stock models, one for each type ofair inlet location.

In accordance'with the present invention, a single unitary air diffuser is provided which has one or more diffuser rings or elements which may be shifted laterally of theair inlet opening and held in adjusted position so as-to direct the incoming air in a desired direction and diffuse it' laterally either through approximately one hundred eighty degrees or approximately'nine'ty degrees; or which may be positioned to diffuse the air'substantially uniformly in all directions laterally from thediffuser. Intermediate conditionsof diffusion can also be obtained soas'tovary thea'mount of {air directed ina given direction. Thatis to say, nearly any. desiredlateraldistribution of air from the air diffuser can be obtained; Also, the air diffuser structure is preferably provided with one or more damper elements which can be employed to regulatethe volume ofair discharged from the diffuser, i. e., they can be employed to restrict the flow" of air through the diffuser, such damper elements in the resent invention also being adapted to provideadditional directional control over the air being diffused. In general, suchtdamper elements will be adjustedto a desired position insthe'initial balancing of the ventilating 'or heating or cooling system and then allo'wed to remain in adjusted position. In all adjusted positions the air diffuser of the present: invention: remains nearly flush with the ceiling surface, i. e., it does not project.- substantially into the room, and has a pleasing appearance.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved air diffuser particularly adapted for employment in an air inlet in the ceiling of a room and which is adjustable to provide substantially any desired distribution of air around the diffuser. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide an air diffuser which directs air entering the room through the ceiling, thereof downwardly at an angle to the ceiling of less'than ninety degrees and which may be adjusted to provide substantially any desired distribution of thev air laterally of the diffuser.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air diffuser particularly adapted for installation in the opening of a ceiling duct and which has a pleasing, appearance and can be employed to directthe air downwardly and laterally from the diffuser with substantially any desired distribution.

A further object of the invention is to provide an air diffuserforthe opening of a ceiling duct which can be adjusted to provide a substantially uniform distribution of the air downwardly and radially from the diffuser and whichalso can be adjusted for directing substantially all of the air downwardly and laterally from one side of the difi'user;

A still further object of the invention is to provide an air diffuser for diffusing air from an inlet duct in the ceiling ofa' room,.which diffuser is of pleasing appearance and which can be adjusted to diffuse the air downwardly and. laterally with a substantially uniform radial distribution, and which can be adjusted to restrict the lateral diffusion of the air to either substantially one hundred eighty: degrees of substantially ninety degrees.

Other objects and-advantages of the invention will ap pear'in the following description thereof givenin connectionwith the attached drawings of which:

Fig. l is a perspectiveview of one corner of a room showing the diffuser of the present invention-installed in the'ceiling of such room;

Fig. 2is a vertical section taken through the. air diffuser structure of the present invention and showing it in position in a ceiling duct and adjusted to direct air largely totheleftin such figure;

Fig. 3 isa partial vertical section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, with the left portion of certain of the parts shownin'elevation;

Fig. 4 isa bottom view of the diffuser assembly alone showing the diffuser elements in a central position with portions'in such diffuser elements broken away;

Fig. 5 is a' top view'of the diffuser assembly with'the diffuser'eleme'nt in the position shown inFig. 4;

Fig. 6 is'a bottom view of the diffuser assembly positionedagainst a side wall and with the diffuser elements arranged to direct air away from such wall;

Fig. 7 is a top viewof the diffuser. assembly with the diffuser elements in the position shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a bottom view ofthe diffuser assembly. positioned against two corner walls with the diffuser. elements positioned to direct the air outwardly from both walls; and

Fig: 9 isa bottom view of the diffuser assembly showing the diffuser elements in the position of Fig. 8.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the diffuser assembly 10 is shOWnin Fig. l in position in the ceiling 12 of a room, and the details of the assembly are shown moreclearly'in' Figs. 2 and 3. The diffuser assembly 10 diffuser ring 18 being adjustably supported by the diffuser ring 16, and the cap plate being supported by the diffuser ring 18, as will be described more in detail below. The diffuser assembly may be supported in the opening in a duct 22 in the ceiling 12. That is to say, the body member 13 may be attached to a support member 24 having a collar 26 extending upwardly into the duct 22 and having a flange 28 surrounding the lower end of the collar, the flange fitting against the ceiling surface and being secured thereto, for example, by screws 30, and the collar having tabs 31 at its upper end which are bent inwardly at a slight angle to the axis of the collar to facilitate insertion of the collar 26 into the duct 22. The flange 28 of the support member 24 has a plurality of screw-threaded weld studs 32 extending downwardly therefrom. The flange 14 of the body member 13 has corresponding holes 34 therein through which the weld studs 32 extend, and the flange 14 may be held in position on the studs 32 by knurled nuts 36. The collar portion 26 of the support member 24 supports a pair of damper vanes 38 having pivot pins 40 secured to opposite ends thereof, for example, by welding, the pins 40 extending through holes in the opposite side walls of the collar portion 26 and being engaged by spring clips 42 which frictionally resist rotation of the pins 40 and thus hold the vanes 38 in adjusted position. The spring clips 42 have hook portions 44 at their ends positioned in suitable holes in the collar portion 26 and a central portion 46 resiliently engaging the ends of the pins 40. It will be apparent that the damper vanes 38 may be adjusted by merely removing the cap plate 28 as described below and moving the vanes with any suitable tool such as screw driver or small stick of wood inserted through the opening thus provided.

The body member 13 of the diffuser assembly 10 has a central opening 48 and has tabs 50 on opposite sides thereof extending upwardly into the collar 26 adjacent the Walls thereof. The tabs 50 each have a plurality of laterally spaced holes 52 therein, such holes in the two tabs being in alignment and being positioned adjacent the upper edges for receiving the ends of a rod 54 which extends between the two tabs 50. In Fig. 2 three holes 52 are shown in the tabs 50, although it is apparent that any desired number of such holes can be employed. The rod 54 may be positioned in pairs of aligned holes in three different positions in Fig. 2, the rod 54 being positioned in the right holes in such figure. As shown in Fig. 3, the rod 54 may have an enlarged head 56 on one end thereof to assist in positioning the rod in the tabs 56, and it is noted that the walls of the collar 26 prevent removal of the rod 56 from the tabs 50 when the diffuser assembly 10 is in position with the tabs 50 within the collar 26. The body member 13 also has tabs 58 on opposite sides of the central opening 48, the tabs 58 being positioned at right angles to the tabs 50. The tabs 58 also have a plurality of laterally spaced holes 60 therein, such holes being adapted to receive the ends of a rod 62 extending between the tabs 58. It will be noted that the holes 52 in the tabs 56 are positioned above the holes 60 in the tabs 68 so that the rod 54 is positioned above and clears the rod 62.

The outer diffuser ring 16 has an outwardly and downwardly inclined ring portion surrounding a central opening 64 and has a horizontal boundary flange 66. The outer diffuser ring 16 likewise has upstanding tabs 68 on opposite sides of the opening 64, which tabs are parallel with and extend upwardly within the tabs 50 of the body member 13. The tabs 68 of the diffuser ring 16 each have a hole therein for receiving the rod 54. Also, the diffuser ring 16 has upstanding tabs 70 on opposite sides of the opening 64, which tabs are at right angles to the tabs 68 and parallel to the tabs 58 of the flange member 14. The tabs 71! have holes therein for receiving the rod 62, the holes in the tabs 70 being below the holes in the tabs 68. It is apparent that the diffuser ring 16 is thus supported upon the rods 54 and 62, which are in turn supported in the tabs 50 and 58 of the body member 13. It will be further apparent that the rod 54 can be positioned in any of the aligned pairs of holes 52 in the tabs 50 so as to move the diffuser ring 16 laterally of the rod 54, i. e., longitudinally of the rod 62, and that the tabs 70 of the diffuser ring 16 can slide along the rod 62. Similarly, the rod 62 can be positioned in any of the aligned pairs of holes 60 of the tab 58 so as to move the diffuser ring 16 laterally of the rod 62, i. e., longitudinally of the rod 54, and that the tabs 68 will slide along the rod 54. The diffuser ring 16 may thus be adjusted in two directions at right angles relative to the flange member 14, and with respect to either direction of adjustment may be secured in three adjusted positions.

The diffuser ring 18 is supported in the diffuser ring 16 in a manner entirely analogous to the way in which the diffuser ring 16 is supported in the body member 13. That is to say, the upstanding tab members 68 of the diffuser ring 16 have laterally spaced holes 72 therein for receiving a rod 74 extending between the tabs 63, the holes 72 being positioned below the holes receiving the rod 54. Similarly, the tabs 70 of the diffuser ring 16 have laterally spaced holes 76 for receiving a rod 78 extending between the tabs 70, the holes 76 in the tabs 70 being positioned below the holes 72 in the tabs 68 so that the rod 78 is positioned below the rod 7 4. The diffuser ring 18 is similar in form to the diffuser ring 16 but smaller in its lateral dimensions and it also has a central opening 80. The diffuser ring 18 also has upstanding tabs 82 positioned on opposite sides of the opening 80 with holes therein for receiving the rod 74 and upstanding tabs 84 at right angles to the tabs 82 and also positioned on opposite sides of the central opening 80, the tabs 84 having holes therein for receiving the rod 78. It will be apparent that the rod 74 may be positioned in any of the aligned pairs of holes 72 and that the tabs 84 will slide on the rod 78. Similarly, the rod 78 may be positioned in any of the aligned pairs of holes and the tabs 82 will slide on the rod 74. The diffuser ring 18 may thereby be moved to any one of a plurality of selected positions relative to the diffuser ring 16 with respect to two different directions at right angles to each other.

The cap plate 20 is supported in the central opening of the diffuser ring 18. The cap plate 20 has a pair of spring clip elements 86 secured to its upper surface, for example, by welding, the spring clip elements having upwardly turned ends bent to provide a notch for resiliently engaging the inner edge of the diffuser ring 18 on either side of the tabs 84. The ends of the spring clip elements 86 are provided with a return bent portion 88 acting as camming elements to enable the spring clip elements to enter the opening 80. It will be apparent that the cap plate 20 may be installed by merely pushing the cap plate upwardly with the ends of the spring clip elements 86 directed toward the opening 80 in the diffuser ring 18. The spring clip elements 86 snap into position and hold the cap plate in position.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the diffuser rings 16 and 18 are shown in their central position, which is the position of these elements also shown in Fig. 1. In the position of Figs. 4 and 5, the rod 54 is in the central hole of the holes 52 (Fig. 2), the rod 62 in the position of Figs. 4 and 5 is in the central hole of the holes 69 (Fig. 3), the rod 74 in the position of Figs. 4 and 5 is in the central hole of the holes 72 (Fig. 2), and the rod 78 in the position of Figs. 4 and 5 is in the central hole of the holes 76 (Fig. 3). When the diffuser rings 16 and 18 are in the central position shown in Figs. 4 and 5, it will be apparent that there is discharge of air outwardly and downwardly from the diffuser assembly substantially equally in all lateral directions since the passages between the diffuser elements and between these elements andthe flange 14 and the For example, the.;rod 62 of "Fig.1 2 may be. pulled endwise out .ofi; the holes 60 in the tabs 58 andalso out o-fthe holes in thetabs 70 ofthediifuser ring 16. Thetabs 68.-of the diffuser ring 16 then may bemoved alonggthe rod 154 until the holes in the.tabs,70- align withianother pair, of holes 60 in the tabs 58 of the. body member-,1'3. The rod 62 may then be. reinserted. Thus, in Fig. 7 the rod 62 has been moved to-the left from'a central position irrthetabs 58, and, similarly, the rod ,78'has been moved to the left from a central position in the tabs 70 to move the diffuser rings 16 and 18 to the right in Fig. 6. That is to say, both the diffuser ring 16 and the diffuser ring 18 have been moved to their rightmost position in Fig. 7, i. e., their leftmost position in Fig. 6. This is also the adjustment of the diffuser rings in Figs. 2 and 3, i. e., the diffuser rings 16 and 18 are both in their rightmost position in Fig. 2 but are both centrally disposed so far as a direction parallel to the rods 62 and 78 is concerned. With this adjustment of the diffuser rings, the air is directed to the left in Fig. 2 and substantially equally to both right and left in Fig. 3. That is to say, the air is directed largely through an angle of one hundred eighty degrees so as to be directed along the wall in Fig. 6 and also in a direction away from the wall, but very little air is directed toward the wall. Another position of the diffuser rings 16 and 18 is shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Thus, in Fig. 9 both the diffuser rings 16 and 18 have been moved to their upper right position, i. e., they have moved to their upper left position in Fig. 8. Under these conditions the air is directed so as to be diffused substantially through an angle of ninety degrees.

The damper vanes 38 are employed primarily to restrict the flow of air through the diffuser assembly. In the position shown in Fig. 3, they present very little resistance to flow of air through the diffuser and, if aligned with the walls of the collar portion 26 of the support member so as to be vertical in Fig. 3, they present substantially no resistance to flow of air. It is apparent, however, that the vanes 38 may be turned so as to substantially obstruct fiow of air through the air diffuser. Thus, the vanes can be turned to be substantially perpendicular to the axis of the collar member 26, in which case the passage for air through the diffuser structure is substantially closed. It is apparent that the vanes 38 may be employed to balance a ventilating system where a plurality of air ducts are employed, each having diffusers to control the air discharge therefrom. When the vanes 38 are employed in partly closed position, it is apparent that they may also function as air-directing elements. That is to say, the angle they make with the axis of the collar portion 26 may be varied, and for any given setting of the vanes such angle may be reversed so as'to make a one-hundred-eighty-degree difference in the directional effect of the vanes. Also, the entire support member 24 may be removed and turned ninety degrees about the axis of the collar 26 so as to make a ninety-degree change in the directional effect of the vanes 38.

The exposed surfaces of the diffuser rings 16 and 18, as well as the cap plate 20 andthe flange 14, may be given any desired decorative treatment, i. e., they may be painted any desired color or be of aluminum or stainless steel or be plated with chromium or other metal. It will 6 be noted- (seeFig. 8) that the member's-just mentioned completely cover: the opening; in the duct in any of their adjusted positions and present a pleasing appearance. while the diffuser rings 16 and 18, flange 14 and cap plate 20-havebeen-sliownas being square in horizontal outline, it is apparent that sucfielements may have any other suitable shapesuchasrectangular, round, or oval, and that a number of diffuser, rings other than the two shown can I claim:

v I. An. air diffuser comprising an annular body member adapted-to be: secured to-the end of an air duct and having a central opening therein, .a diffuser ring positioned in-saidopening having slanting sidewalls for distributing air discharge through. said central opening outwardly and laterally: of said central opening in a plurality of directions, andz means for supporting; said duff-user ring" from said body member; said m'eanm providing for shifting said diftuserringylaterally of -s'aid openingfor varying thedistribution of saidairin said directions andincl'uding two f0d$-BXt6fldlng-3CTOSS said opening at right anglesto one another, androd supporting means on said bodymember engaging-and supportingsaid' rods'at the opposite-ends of each, said diffuser ring having a plurality of holes therein for receiving said rods whereby said ring may slide axially of said rods to various spaced] positions along said rods, said rod supporting means including means for holding the ends of one of said rods at any one of a plurality of positions spaced laterally of said one rod.

2. An air diffuser comprising an annular body member adapted to be secured to the end of an air duct and having a central opening therein, a diffuser ring positioned in said opening having slanting side walls for distributing air discharged through said central opening outwardly and laterally of said central opening in a plurality of directions, and means for supporting said diffuser ring from said body member, said means providing for shifting said diffuser ring laterally of said opening for varying the distribution of said air in said directions and including two rods extending across said opening at right angles to one another, and rod supporting means on said body member engaging and supporting said rods at the opposite ends of each, said diffuser ring having a plurality of holes therein for receiving said rods whereby said ring may slide axially of said rods to various spaced positions along said rods, said rod supporting means including means for holding the ends of one of said rods at any one of a plurality of positions spaced laterally of said one rod and means for holding the ends of the other of said rods at any one of a plurality of positions spaced laterally of said other rod.

3. An air diffuser comprising an annular body member adapted to be secured to the end of an air duct and having a central opening therein, a first diffuser ring positioned in said opening having slanting side walls for distributing air discharged through said central opening outwardly and laterally of said central opening in a plurality of directions, and first supporting means for supporting said diffuser ring from said body member, said means providing for shifting said diffuser ring laterally of said opening for varying the distribution of said air in said directions and including two rods extending across said opening at right angles to one another, and rod supporting means on said body member engaging and supporting said rods at the opposite ends of each, said diffuser ring having a plurality of holes therein for receiving said rods whereby said ring may slide axially of said rods to various spaced positions along said rods, said rod supporting means including means for holding the ends of one of said rods at any one of a plurality of positions spaced laterally of said one rod, said diffuser ring having a central opening therein, a second diffuser ring positioned in the last-mentioned opening, and second supporting means for supporting said second diffuser ring, said second supporting means providing for shifting said second diflFnser ring laterally of said last-mentioned opening in dependently of said first supporting means.

4. An air diffuser comprising an annular body member adapted to be secured to the end of an air duct and having a central opening therein, a first diffuser ring positioned in said opening havingslanting side walls for distributing air discharged through said central opening outwardly and laterally of said central opening in a plurality of directions, and first supporting means for supporting said diffuser ring from said body member, said means providing for shifting said diffuser ring laterally of said opening for varying the distribution of said air in said directions and including two rods extending across said opening at right angles to one another, and rod supporting means on said body member engaging and supporting said rods at the opposite ends of each, said diffuser ring having a plurality of holes therein for receiving said rods whereby said ring may slide axially of said rods to various spaced positions along said rods, said rod supporting means including means for holding the ends of one of said rods at any one of a plurality of positions spaced laterally of said one rod and means for holding the ends of the other of said rods at any one of a plurality of positions spaced laterally of said other rod, said diffuser ring having a central opening therein, a second diffuser ring positioned in the last-mentioned opening, second supporting means for supporting said second diffuser ring from said first diffuser ring, said second supporting means including two rods extending across said last-mentioned opening at right angles to one another and second supporting means on said first diffuser ring for supporting the ends of each of the last-mentioned rods at any one of a plurality of positions spaced laterally of the corresponding one of said last-mentioned rods.

References Cited ,in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,355,294 Herbster Aug. 8, 1944 2,504,472 Van Alsburg et al. Apr. 18, 1950 2,607,282 Gilbert Aug. 19, 1952 2,616,355 McCabe et al Nov. 4, 1952 2,621,579 Person et a1 Dec. 16, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 501,402 Great Britain Feb. 23, 1939 

